Landing area mat handling tool



Sept. 21, 1965 w. TROTTER ETAL LANDING AREA MAT HANDLING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1963 K P llllh 1 m W 'l I h mm; Z J

INVENTORS WHLTEQ TQOTTEA? 5575:? P. Pale/W5 ATTORNEY-5 INVENTORS WflLTER TQQTTEE 5575,? R PREP/5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W TROTTER ETAL LANDING AREA MAT HANDLING TOOL Sept 21, 1965 Flled May 22, 1963 .Bfli

Patented Sept. 21, 1965 3,207,547 LANDING AREA MAT HANDLING TOOL Walter Trotter, Fair Lawn, and Peter P. Parr-is, Hackensack, N.J., assignors to Camloc Fastener Corporation, Paramus, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed May 22, 1963, Ser. No. 282,424 2 Claims. (Cl. 294-16) Our invention relates to a landing area mat handling tool and more particularly to a tool for handling mats to form a landing area in a simple and expeditious manner which permits the mats to be readily assembled.

There are known in the prior art mats which are adapted to be assembled to provide an area on which an aircraft can land. These mats customarily are used to form temporary landing areas in a rapid and expeditious manner. The mats are made from a suitable, durable and relatively light-weight material in a rectangular configuration with a plurality of lugs spaced around the periphery of the section. In the course of forming a landing area individual mats are lifted from a stack and in order to permit them to be assembled properly, they are laid side by side with the lugs of adjacent mats aligned and with a predetermined spacing between the ends of the lugs of the adjacent mats. When the mats have thus been laid in place, there are first applied thereto strips having lugs on the nndersurface thereof which lugs nest between adjacent lugs. When this has been achieved the remaining space between adjacent mats is filled by connectors or fasteners of a type known to the art which engage the lugs of adjacent mats to hold them in an assembled relationship.

The operation of forming a landing area from mats of the type described above is a relatively difficult and time-consuming operation. The mats themselves are of sufficient size as to require two men to handle each mat. Further, as has been pointed out hereinabove, when a mat is laid next to previously laid mats it must be correctly placed so as to permit the covering strips and the fastening device to be applied with relative ease. 'It will readily be appreciated that the performance of this operation is quite difficult, requiring many adjustments of the position of the mat not only as it is laid on the ground but also as the strips and fasteners are applied.

We have invented a landing area mat handling tool which permits the mats to be carried with relative ease. Our tool insures that the lugs of a mat being laid are properly aligned with lugs of a previously laid mat. Moreover, our tool insures that the proper spacing between the edges of adjacent mats is provided so that fastening elements can be applied to the mats with relative ease. Our tool is simple and rugged in construction for the result achieved thereby.

One object of our invention is to provide a tool which permits landing area mats to be handled in a rapid and expeditious manner.

Another object of our invention is to provide a landing area mat handling tool which greatly facilitates the operation of constructing a landing area.

A further object of our invention is to provide a landing area mat handling tool which insures that the lugs of a mat being carried are aligned with the lugs of a previously laid mat as the mat being carried is laid.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a mat handling tool which insures a correct spacing between the edges of adjacent laid mats.

Yet another object of our invention is to provide a landing area mat handling tool Which is simple and rugged in construction.

Other and further objects of our invention will appear from the following description.

In general our invention contemplates the provision of a simple and rugged tool for handling mats adapted to be assembled to provide a landing area including means for engaging lugs on a mat to permit it to be securely held. Our tool has means for positioning that mat with its edge in predetermined spaced relationship to an already laid mat and with its lugs aligned with those of the mat already laid to facilitate assembly of the laid mats.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view illustrating the manner in which our tool is employed to lay a section of landing area forming mat.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one form of our landing area mat handling tool.

FIGURE -3 is a front elevation of the form of our landing area mat handling tool shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the form of our landing area mat handling tool shown in FIGURE 3 taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the form of our landing area mat handling tool illustrated in FIGURE 3 showing the manner of its operation and taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the form of our landing area mat handling tool shown in FIGURES 1 to 5 and taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of an alternate form of our landing area mat handling tool.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 to 6 of the drawings our mat handling tool indicated generally by the reference character 10 is adapted to handle an article such as a mat 12 having a plurality of lugs 14 spaced around the periphery thereof. When a number of mats 12 have been laid in side-by-side relationship in a manner to be described hereinafter, there are first applied thereto strips 18 having lugs 20 on the undersurface thereof which lugs 20 nest between adjacent lugs 14. When this has been achieved the remaining space between adjacent mats is filled by connectors or fasteners 16 of a type known to the art which engage the lugs 14 of adjacent mats 12 to hold them in an assembled relationship. It will readily be apparent that as the mats are laid on the earth the lugs 14 of adjacent mats must be correctly aligned and the spacing between the edges of adjacent mats must be correct so that the strips 18 and the connectors 16 can properly be assembled to form the completed landing area.

The form of our tool 10 shown in FIGURES 1 to 6 includes a generally U-shaped frame 22 having a base 24 and a pair of legs 26 and 28. We employ any suitable means such, for example, as rivets 30 for securing a connector 32 between the upper ends of the legs 26 and 28. The connector 32 carries a tubular handle 34 which is free to rotate on the connector.

We provide our tool wit-h a slide 36 mounted for sliding movement on the frame 22 by retainers 38 secured to the slide 36 by any suitable means such, for example, as rivets 40.

We form the underside of the base 24 with a pair of spaced lug-engaging hooks 42 and 44. Any suitable means such, for example, as screws 46 secure a spacer block 48 to the slide 36 for movement therewith. A finger hole 50 in the slide 36 permits the block and spacer 48 to be raised to the broken line position illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. With the slide in this position the tool is moved to a position at which the hooks 42 and 44 engage a pair of lugs 14 of a mat 12 which is adapted to be lifted off a stack, for example, Once this has been done the slide is released and is permitted to move to the lowered position. As the slide moves down its lower end fits between the lugs engaged by the hooks 42 and 44.

Next the mat is thereby moved to a position adjacent a previously laid mat. We provide the block or spacer 48 With a pair of shoulders 52 and 54 which have a spacing t-herebetween which is substantially equal to the spacing between a pair of adjacent lugs 14. Now as a mat is moved to a position adjacent to a previously laid mat the shoulders 52 and 54 move into the space between the lugs of a previously laid mat to insure that the lugs of that mat carried by the tool are aligned therewith. The spacer,

48 also includes respective lateral projections 56 and 58. As the shoulders 52 and 54 move into the space between the adjacent lugs 14 of the previously laid mat ultimately the projections 56 and 58 engage the ends of these lugs, thus insuring the correct spacing between the edge of the already laid mat and the mat being laid.

It will be appreciated that in practice, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, two men customarily are required to handle the mat. Once the mat has been laid by the use of our tool, the strips 18 and the fastener 16 can rapidly and expeditiously be applied owing to the alignment and spacing provided by our tool as a mat is laid.

Referring now to FIGURE 7 an alternate form of our mat handling tool includes respective generally rectangular frames indicated generally by the reference characters 60 and 62. Pins 64 and 66 support the two frames for relative pivotal movement with the frame 60 disposed within the frame 62. We may, if desired, secure a screwdriver end 68 to the frame 62 so that the tool may, if desired, be used to operate the fasteners 16 for securing adjacent mats to each other. We pivotally mount a spacer 70 on the lower leg 72 of the frame 60 by wrapping a sheet metal portion 74 on the spacer around the frame. Pins 76 carried by the leg 72 ride in recesses 78 in the edges of the metal 74 to limit the pivtal movement of the spacer 70. The upper leg 82 of the frame 62 swingably carries a handle 84 having an end 86 adapted to pass around the upper leg 88 of the frame 60 when the two frames are closed to the position shown in FIGURE 7.

In use of the form of our mat handling tool shown in FIGURES 1 to 6 to lift a mat from a stack and place it in a position adjacent an already laid mat 12 so that the strips 18 and the fasteners 16 can readily be applied thereto without adjustment of the position of the mat, the operator grasps the tool by the handle 34 and lifts the slide 36 by means of the finger hole 50. When this has been done the operator slides the hooks 44 over the necks of a pair of lugs 14. He then releases the slide so that it falls down into the space between lugs. In this position of the parts the tool effectively holds the mat to permit it to be lifted with relative ease and to be carried to the position at which it is to be laid. It will be appreciated that two men normally are employed to accomplish this operation.

Now when the mat is set in position next to an already laid mat the shoulders 52 and 54 are caused to move between a pair of lugs 14 on the already laid mat and the mat is brought to a position at which the recesses 56 and 58 abut lugs of the mat being laid and lugs of the already laid mat. When these operations have been accomplished the operator is assured that the lugs of the mats are aligned and that the proper spacing exists between the edges of the adjacent mats such as will permit the strips 18 and fasteners 16 to be applied to the mats with little or no difiiculty.

In operation of the form of our invention shown in FIGURE 7, the handle 84 is released to permit the part '86 to swing away from leg 88 and the frames are rotated relative to each other to an open position. In this position of the parts of the tool the lower leg of the frame 62 is moved under a pair of lugs 14 and the frames 62 and 60 are swung to their closed positions and the locking portion of the handle 84 is moved over the leg 88. It will readily be appreciated that in this position of the parts the spacer 70 is disposed between the adjacent lugs. Now the mat can readily be lifted and moved to a position adjacent a mat which has already been laid. In the course. of this operation, the spacer 70 moves between a pair of adjacent lugs 14 of the already laid mat and is brought to a position at which it abuts the edge of the already laid mat between the lugs. In this manner the mats are positioned as described above in connection with the operation of the form of our invention shown in FIG- URES 1 to 6 correctly to space them to permit the strips 18 and the fasteners 16 to be applied.

It will be seen that we have accomplished the objects of our invention. We have provided a mat handling tool which permits mats to be laid and assembled in a rapid and expeditious manner. Our tool permits the mats to be laid with relative ease. It so locates a mat being laid that the lugs at its edge are aligned with the lugs along the edge of the already laid mats. It so spaces a mat being laid from an already laid matas to permit the strips and fasteners to be applied thereto ina rapid and expeditious manner. It is simple and rugged for the result achieved thereby.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of our claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within ,the scope of our claims without departing from the spirit of our invention. fore, to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A tool for handling mats each having lugs extending outwardly from an edge thereof with a predetermined interlug spacing, said mats being adapted'to be laid in side-by-side relationship with the lugs of adjacent mats aligned and with a predetermined spaced relationship between the ends of the lugs of adjacent mats including in combination a generally rectangular frame, a pair of hooks on the base of said frame, said hooks being in spaced relationship to permit the hooks to be slid under a pair of adjacent lugs on one of said mats, a slide mounted for reciprocating movement on said frame toward and away from said base, a spacer block carried by said slide for movement therewith from a position above said base to a position between the lugs engaged by said hooks, said block having a width in the direction of the extent of said base approximately the same as said interilug spacing, portions of said block extending outwardly from said slide forming shoulders having a spacing therebetween approximately equal to said interlug spacing to permit said portions to ride into the space between a pair of adjacent lugs of a mat, and a pair of lateral projections extending beyond said shoulders in the direction of extent of said base, said lateral projections having a dimension in a direction perpendicular to said base substantially equal to the desired spacing between the ends of the lugs of adjacent mats.

2. A tool as in claim 1 in which a portion of said frame forms a handle and in which said slide is formed with a finger hole to permit operation thereof.

References Cited .by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,236,610 8/17 Sherwood 294 27 X 2,337,580 12/43 Webster 244-45.14 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 837,380 6/60 Great Britain.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

ERNEST A. FALLER, Examiner.

It is, there- 

1. A TOOL FOR HANDLING MATS EACH HAVING LUGS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM AN EDGE THEREOF WITH A PREDETERMINED INTERLUG SPACING, SAID MATS BEING ADAPTED TO BE LAID IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LUGS OF ADJACENT MATS ALIGNED AND WITH A PREDETERMINED SPACED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE LUGS OF ADJACENT MATS INCLUDING IN COMBINATION A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR FRAME, A PAIR OF HOOKS ON THE BASE OF SAID FRAME, SAID HOOKS BEING IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO PERMIT THE HOOKS TO BE SLID UNDER A PAIR OF ADJACENT LUGS ON ONE OF SAID MATS,A SLIDE MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT ON SAID FRAME TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID BASE, A SPACER BLOCK CARRIED BY SAID SLIDE FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH FROM A POSITION ABOVE SAID BASE TO A POSITION BETWEEN THE LUGS ENGAGED BY SAID HOOKS, SAID BLOCK HAVING A WIDTH IN THE DIRECTION OF THE EXTENT OF SAID BASE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS SAID INTERLUG SPACING, PORTIONS OF SAID BLOCK EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SLIDE FORMING SHOULDERS HAVING A SPACING THEREBETWEEN APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO SAID INTERLUG SPACING TO PERMIT SAID PORTIONS TO RIDE INTO THE SPACE BETWEN A PAIR OF ADJACENT LUGS OT A MAT, AND A PAIR OF LATERAL PROJECTIONS EXTENDING BEYOND SAID SHOULDERS IN THE DIRECTION OF EXTENT OF SAID BASE, SAID LATERAL PROJECTIONS HAVING A DIMENSION IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULARTO SAID BASE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE DESIRED SPACING BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE LUGS OF ADJACENT MATS. 